Medicaid Waivers: A Brief History

In the early 1980s a growing national trend moved away from institutional care for the elderly and persons with disabilities in favor of providing home and community-based services. In response, a new Medicaid program “waived” the federal requirement that services be provided in an institution. This allowed Medicaid recipients to receive non-traditional in-home and community-based services, so long as the cost was comparable.

Indiana began offering Medicaid Waivers in 1986 using federal and matching state dollars and today has two categories of waivers. The first, known as Medical Model Waivers, are for children and adults with medical needs and includes the Aged and Disabled Waiver (A&D) and the Traumatic Brain Injury Waiver (TBI). The second category, known as Developmental Disabilities Waivers, are for children and adults with intellectual or other developmental disabilities and includes the Community Integration Habilitation (CIH) Waiver formerly known as the Developmentally Disabled (DD) Waiver and the Family Supports Waiver (FSW) formerly known as and the Support Services Waiver.

Waivers are used to pay for services from qualified providers of attendant or nursing care services, home modifications (ramps), lifts for vehicles, residential and employment supports, etc., and are intended to help people with disabilities continue to live in their homes and communities instead of being moved to institutional care.

Every state has a maximum number of slots for Medicaid Waivers it can grant in a given year, filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Clients must meet eligibility requirements each year to continue receiving Medicaid and Waiver services.

The Dream Team: Family Supports, L.L.C. will be providing services for the Developmental Disability Waivers of Community Integration Habilitation (CIH) Waiver and the Family Supports Waiver (FSW). Our services will also include matching comprehensive resources and referral services that will focus on utilizing every tool that may ensure the highest quality of life for the valued consumers in a family oriented environment.